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Havemercy #2
Shadow Magic
Led to victory by its magic-fueled Dragon Corps, Volstov has sent a delegation to its conquered neighbors to work out the long-awaited terms of peace. Among those in the party are the decorated war hero General Alcibiades and the formerly exiled magician Caius Greylace. But even this mismatched pair can’t help but notice that their defeated enemies aren’t being very cooperative. The hidden truth is that the new emperor is harboring a treacherous secret—and once it is revealed, Alcibiades and Caius may be powerless to stop it.
With their only ally an exiled prince now fleeing his brother’s assassins, the countryside rife with terror, and Alcibiades and Caius all but prisoners, it will take the most powerful kind of magic to heal the rift between two strife-worn lands and unite two peoples against a common enemy: shadow magic.
With their only ally an exiled prince now fleeing his brother’s assassins, the countryside rife with terror, and Alcibiades and Caius all but prisoners, it will take the most powerful kind of magic to heal the rift between two strife-worn lands and unite two peoples against a common enemy: shadow magic.
387 pages, Hardcover
First published July 23, 2009
29 people are currently reading
852 people want to read
About the author
Jaida Jones
8 books511 followersJaida Jones is a graduate of Barnard College, where they wrote their thesis on monsters in Japanese literature and film. A poet and native New Yorker, they had their first collection of poetry, Cinquefoil published by New Babel Books in 2006. They also co-wrote the Shoebox Project - a Harry Potter fan website with more than five thousand subscribed members. They currently live in Brooklyn with their wife and co-author, Danielle Bennett.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
November 17, 2011
Will they or won't they?
This was my frustration with Shadow Magic. After sitting on my shelf unread for almost 2 years, I finally read Shadow Magic out of boredom. I read it in two great gulps over a weekend, because I had a pressing need to get to the end. Why? Plot? No. Great characters. No, actually. Great relationships? Not quite.
No, it was the Ross-and-Rachel factor. Will they or won't they? And I'll say, the payoff was not equal to the buildup.
I remember liking Havemercy, but I could barely recall the plot. So when Shadow Magic introduced a main cast of new characters and a few peripherals from last hook, I was just uninterested. It took me 2 years to get past the blurb on the jacket. Then I became totally invested, mostly in the Mamoru and Kouje storyline, and I thought - ah! They've done it again. An m/m romance no one needs to invent in fanfiction. But it never materialized! I was so disappointed that there were no romances, no hookups, not even an admission to the readers of any romantic feelings. I felt like the entire story was composed exclusively so that fanfiction could later be written about it.
What was most frustrating for me was the (continued) lack of female protagonists. Both Mamoru and Caius were described as effeminate or androgynous. It was as if they were stand-ins for women who aren't as pretty or interested in fashion. In fact, early on, I thought there was going to be a twist where Mamoru turned out to actually BE female. I was left with the vague disappointed feeling that women are not as awesome and are therefore not important enough to be included.
For me, I ended up reluctantly buying the friendship between Caius and Alcibiades (although I think we were lead pretty strongly to believe that Caius is gay, which always made me question his motives for befriending Alcibiades -- did he want to hit that, or did he just want a new pet? ). What I didn't buy was the platonic resolution of Mamoru and Kouje's storyline. All these other men were fawning over Mamoru-dressed-as-a-woman (naturally more beautiful than all other women, mind), but Kouje never had so much as a wayward thought? There was a lot of intimacy and touching that I thought was leading somewhere, but it turns out they're just friends. Seriously?? I felt led on. Write a love story, or don't, but I'm not sure what to do with Mamoru and Kouje other than to throw my hands up in frustration and think twice about reading the next novel.
This was my frustration with Shadow Magic. After sitting on my shelf unread for almost 2 years, I finally read Shadow Magic out of boredom. I read it in two great gulps over a weekend, because I had a pressing need to get to the end. Why? Plot? No. Great characters. No, actually. Great relationships? Not quite.
No, it was the Ross-and-Rachel factor. Will they or won't they? And I'll say, the payoff was not equal to the buildup.
I remember liking Havemercy, but I could barely recall the plot. So when Shadow Magic introduced a main cast of new characters and a few peripherals from last hook, I was just uninterested. It took me 2 years to get past the blurb on the jacket. Then I became totally invested, mostly in the Mamoru and Kouje storyline, and I thought - ah! They've done it again. An m/m romance no one needs to invent in fanfiction. But it never materialized! I was so disappointed that there were no romances, no hookups, not even an admission to the readers of any romantic feelings. I felt like the entire story was composed exclusively so that fanfiction could later be written about it.
What was most frustrating for me was the (continued) lack of female protagonists. Both Mamoru and Caius were described as effeminate or androgynous. It was as if they were stand-ins for women who aren't as pretty or interested in fashion. In fact, early on, I thought there was going to be a twist where Mamoru turned out to actually BE female. I was left with the vague disappointed feeling that women are not as awesome and are therefore not important enough to be included.
For me, I ended up reluctantly buying the friendship between Caius and Alcibiades (although I think we were lead pretty strongly to believe that Caius is gay, which always made me question his motives for befriending Alcibiades -- did he want to hit that, or did he just want a new pet? ). What I didn't buy was the platonic resolution of Mamoru and Kouje's storyline. All these other men were fawning over Mamoru-dressed-as-a-woman (naturally more beautiful than all other women, mind), but Kouje never had so much as a wayward thought? There was a lot of intimacy and touching that I thought was leading somewhere, but it turns out they're just friends. Seriously?? I felt led on. Write a love story, or don't, but I'm not sure what to do with Mamoru and Kouje other than to throw my hands up in frustration and think twice about reading the next novel.
February 23, 2010
a sort of sideways sequel to havemercy, better written and better planned out: still bears it's slashfic roots proudly, still won't pass bechdell test for love or money, but also is immensely readable and enjoyable: i've devoured it in a day and wouldn't mind rereading some day. does the two storylines, four povs thing again: caius and alcibiades do the 'manic trixter and his straight man' thing and mamore with kouje go on sort of frodo-and-sam like loyalty quest (guess which one i loved more), and their lines all twist and turn together, and meanwhile the empire's fate gets decided. it's relationship rather than plot-driven, and watching them all spark off each other is pretty fascinating. caius with alcibiades' storyline unfolds more gracefully; mamoru with kouje's gets rushed and partially unresolved in the end, which is a great pity; it draws heavily on benkei and minamoto yoshimoto legend (to the point of cleverly namedropping it once, even), but sort of drops one of the crucial moments of it and forgets it without explanation.
i also really loved the descriptions of ke-han the defeated empire, both from defeaters' and defeated sides, clash of customs and explanations, the way amorphous creepy enemy of the first book got humanized and given a face - this is one of the best strengths of the book, and it works well.
i also really loved the descriptions of ke-han the defeated empire, both from defeaters' and defeated sides, clash of customs and explanations, the way amorphous creepy enemy of the first book got humanized and given a face - this is one of the best strengths of the book, and it works well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2015
How is this book under M/M romance or even GLBT there is no romance in this novel. Yes there is the build up of will they won't they but then no reward! ?? Hanet wrote on Goodreads that she felt like the entire story was composed exclusively so that fan fiction could be written about it later and I completely agree I want to go and write my ending where we get to see Casius and Alcibiades living together on the farm (and don't worry thats no spoiler because it doesn't happen.) I really wanted these two to be together and this is what kept my noise glued to the book as I devoured and I did devour it and I did enjoy it I just feel a little led on and felt like I deserved a more rewarding ending.
What I did love about Shadow Magic was that we got to explore more of the Ken-Han empire which is so much like ancient Japan and I loved it. I loved the customers and the acts of honour and I could almost see it as an anime, which I loved. This tale is relationship driven rather than plot driven but don't get me wrong this is a positive note and the plot flowed well too. However with the sexual tension building up between Casius and Alcibiades, and Mamoru and Kouje I felt I didn't get what the book promised me. Even though I love the scenery and the world building I do not think I will be carrying on with this series I think I will leave it on a high note rather than struggling with the rest of the books.
What I did love about Shadow Magic was that we got to explore more of the Ken-Han empire which is so much like ancient Japan and I loved it. I loved the customers and the acts of honour and I could almost see it as an anime, which I loved. This tale is relationship driven rather than plot driven but don't get me wrong this is a positive note and the plot flowed well too. However with the sexual tension building up between Casius and Alcibiades, and Mamoru and Kouje I felt I didn't get what the book promised me. Even though I love the scenery and the world building I do not think I will be carrying on with this series I think I will leave it on a high note rather than struggling with the rest of the books.
March 31, 2018
I feel like this is a series that has the potential to be good, but consistently fails to hit the mark.
Where's the character development? We're introduced to Caius and Alcibiades, and a substantial part of the plot line revolves around their actions; but we start Caius's plot line with him deciding to be friends with Alcibiades, and we end with no sign that Alcibiades reciprocates this friendship? Even the last scene with Subtextually, I guess that there is something, with I honestly felt that there was more chemistry between Alcibiades and
The other two main plot lines (like Havemercy, this book focuses on four main characters) focus on Mamoru and Kouje. Again, I found myself dissatisfied with the development - they start the book with a Lord-Servant relationship, and end the same way. Perhaps there is more depth to it (because of the shared experience), but I felt very much that their plot could have been condensed into one character's point of view. I didn't feel that there was very much character development in both. And basically, Mamoru starts out perfect (compassionate, educated, open to new ideas) and there's not much character development you can do to that character type.
A summary of the plot is simple:
The writing is still fun; I enjoyed the little bits of humour; for example, Caius describes the delegation as:
It's a perspective that is very Caius, so that's actually a good bit of character writing.
2.5 stars; rounded up for the writing (very light and chatty).
Where's the character development? We're introduced to Caius and Alcibiades, and a substantial part of the plot line revolves around their actions; but we start Caius's plot line with him deciding to be friends with Alcibiades, and we end with no sign that Alcibiades reciprocates this friendship? Even the last scene with Subtextually, I guess that there is something, with I honestly felt that there was more chemistry between Alcibiades and
The other two main plot lines (like Havemercy, this book focuses on four main characters) focus on Mamoru and Kouje. Again, I found myself dissatisfied with the development - they start the book with a Lord-Servant relationship, and end the same way. Perhaps there is more depth to it (because of the shared experience), but I felt very much that their plot could have been condensed into one character's point of view. I didn't feel that there was very much character development in both. And basically, Mamoru starts out perfect (compassionate, educated, open to new ideas) and there's not much character development you can do to that character type.
A summary of the plot is simple:
The writing is still fun; I enjoyed the little bits of humour; for example, Caius describes the delegation as:
Alcibiades, I supposed, was part of some sort of misguided military representation that included two lieutenants whose names I hadn't bothered learning. They seemed like dreadfully boring sorts, in any case. We had a scholar by the name of Marius - another survivor from our little study group at the Basquiat - and bringing up the rear were Margrave Josette and our leader Fiacre, who I could only assume were both here to represent good common sense.
It's a perspective that is very Caius, so that's actually a good bit of character writing.
2.5 stars; rounded up for the writing (very light and chatty).
September 8, 2010
I really didn't think that I would love this book even more than Havemercy. Second books seem to have a tendency to be not quite as good as the first and third books in a trilogy, but then I guess this isn't strictly speaking a trilogy. Shadow Magic was an absolutely brilliant second novel from Jones and Bennett and has me desperate for more.
Within three pages I was desperately in love with Caius Greylace (the insane magician who makes a brief appearance in Havemercy) and shameless shipping a relationship between him and Alcibiades (the stoic soldier forced to learn to use his Talent). Honestly I was quite frequently in hysterics while reading Caius' point-of-view sections. This guy takes camp to a whole new level! His crazy anticts seem to have a hidden meaning that even he doesn't fully express. Hopefully more of this will be revealed in subsequent novels.
The relationship between the prince Mamoru and his servant Kouje was also a really nice depiction of male friendship and an interesting examination of the engrained traditions and customs of honour within society. The Ke-Han Empire in this book is more obviously a Japanese or East Asian culture with heavy emphasis on honour and duty. The absolute powers of the Emperor and the difficulties of choosing between honour and duty are highlighted throughout the characterisation of the Ke-Han lords. I particularly liked how Alcibiades' inherent racism didn't disappear although it was challenged throughout the course of the novel and he did come to respect some of the Ke-Han. Racism born out of spending years as a soldier fighting the Ke-Han, and a life-time of knowing the Ke-Han were a threat to the freedom of the Volstovi for generations is not something that can be overcome so easily.
Within three pages I was desperately in love with Caius Greylace (the insane magician who makes a brief appearance in Havemercy) and shameless shipping a relationship between him and Alcibiades (the stoic soldier forced to learn to use his Talent). Honestly I was quite frequently in hysterics while reading Caius' point-of-view sections. This guy takes camp to a whole new level! His crazy anticts seem to have a hidden meaning that even he doesn't fully express. Hopefully more of this will be revealed in subsequent novels.
The relationship between the prince Mamoru and his servant Kouje was also a really nice depiction of male friendship and an interesting examination of the engrained traditions and customs of honour within society. The Ke-Han Empire in this book is more obviously a Japanese or East Asian culture with heavy emphasis on honour and duty. The absolute powers of the Emperor and the difficulties of choosing between honour and duty are highlighted throughout the characterisation of the Ke-Han lords. I particularly liked how Alcibiades' inherent racism didn't disappear although it was challenged throughout the course of the novel and he did come to respect some of the Ke-Han. Racism born out of spending years as a soldier fighting the Ke-Han, and a life-time of knowing the Ke-Han were a threat to the freedom of the Volstovi for generations is not something that can be overcome so easily.
August 27, 2009
Shadow Magic is a great compliment to Havemercy, as it explores the culture and customs of Xi'an, the enemy of Volstov, the kingdom featured in the first book. While it's a good idea to read Havemercy first, it's not completely necessary. While time will tell whether I liked the characters better this time around, I think Shadow Magic is the better book of the two. The exploration of Xi'an culture felt a bit more authentic to me than it felt reading about Volstov and Thremedon, thanks in part to the fact that two of the POV characters are seeing it for the first time.
First of all, Caius Greylace. He's the gayest gay I've ever seen prance across the pages of a novel, and I love him for it. It's most amusing to see him be equal parts fluffably insane and strikingly shrewd (and all at the tender age of 17-18, if I've been paying attention to ages correctly). His parts, by far, are the most fun to read.
Second, the way Alcibiades grows within the diplomatic ennui he's made to endure is excellent. Goodness, I would re-read his scenes just for the lolarious amount of descriptive names he comes up with for Caius alone ("little blond shit-stirrer"). His narrative brought with it some sorely needed action scenes, which struck me as a lot more real and believable than the dragon scenes in Havemercy (not that those weren't good, but here the sword fighting and crumbling building bits seemed a lot more easy to imagine, a lot more tangible, if you will).
Third, to compare the Caius&Alcibiades scenes to the Mamoru&Kouje scenes, I think initially I would be tempted to say that it seemed to go something like this:
Caius & Alcibiades Scenes: OMG SWORD FIGHTS! DAGGER ASSASSINATIONS! DUMPLINGS! PLAYS WITH SOCIAL COMMENTARY THEREIN! CRAZY MIRROR INTRIGUE!
Mamoru & Kouje Related Scenes: Sleeping. Rabbits. Dudes hitting on Mamoru. More sleeping. Worrying about Wall Checkpoints. Sleeping. Wah, my lord, wah, wah.
HOWEVER IT IS NOT EXACTLY THAT BLACK AND WHITE. I think that the idiosyncrasies and proprieties that Mamoru and Kouje (as people swept out of their lives and forced to be on the lam) had to break and re-learn made their development a lot more rich & a lot more subtle. The scene where Kouje hits Mamoru to protect him is really moving, and a prime example of all that emotional buildup coming to a climax. So yes, while I'm tempted to say that I wish the scenes with the Xi'an main characters had a bit more umpf, I can't. A big difference between the cultures is what is held back and kept in check, and it was an important distinction to maintain. This is also the same reason that I kept wondering what Lord Temur's motives really were. Up until literally the part where he and Alcibiades were fending off guards I still felt in the back of my mind that he might still be loyal to Iseul; but that made it interesting, and with Temur, too, you see more emotions seen in his features come to light as the book progresses and he opens up a bit.
Anyhoo, this book wasn't perfect. I wish the ending wasn't so rushed. I wish the POV characters got to interact just a wee bit more. I wish the other diplomats got a bit more time to shine besides just having Josette around as almost little more as a plot device. I am still waiting for one of the POV characters to be a woman (oh please, say it will happen some day!). But I certainly liked it enough to give it five stars.
First of all, Caius Greylace. He's the gayest gay I've ever seen prance across the pages of a novel, and I love him for it. It's most amusing to see him be equal parts fluffably insane and strikingly shrewd (and all at the tender age of 17-18, if I've been paying attention to ages correctly). His parts, by far, are the most fun to read.
Second, the way Alcibiades grows within the diplomatic ennui he's made to endure is excellent. Goodness, I would re-read his scenes just for the lolarious amount of descriptive names he comes up with for Caius alone ("little blond shit-stirrer"). His narrative brought with it some sorely needed action scenes, which struck me as a lot more real and believable than the dragon scenes in Havemercy (not that those weren't good, but here the sword fighting and crumbling building bits seemed a lot more easy to imagine, a lot more tangible, if you will).
Third, to compare the Caius&Alcibiades scenes to the Mamoru&Kouje scenes, I think initially I would be tempted to say that it seemed to go something like this:
Caius & Alcibiades Scenes: OMG SWORD FIGHTS! DAGGER ASSASSINATIONS! DUMPLINGS! PLAYS WITH SOCIAL COMMENTARY THEREIN! CRAZY MIRROR INTRIGUE!
Mamoru & Kouje Related Scenes: Sleeping. Rabbits. Dudes hitting on Mamoru. More sleeping. Worrying about Wall Checkpoints. Sleeping. Wah, my lord, wah, wah.
HOWEVER IT IS NOT EXACTLY THAT BLACK AND WHITE. I think that the idiosyncrasies and proprieties that Mamoru and Kouje (as people swept out of their lives and forced to be on the lam) had to break and re-learn made their development a lot more rich & a lot more subtle. The scene where Kouje hits Mamoru to protect him is really moving, and a prime example of all that emotional buildup coming to a climax. So yes, while I'm tempted to say that I wish the scenes with the Xi'an main characters had a bit more umpf, I can't. A big difference between the cultures is what is held back and kept in check, and it was an important distinction to maintain. This is also the same reason that I kept wondering what Lord Temur's motives really were. Up until literally the part where he and Alcibiades were fending off guards I still felt in the back of my mind that he might still be loyal to Iseul; but that made it interesting, and with Temur, too, you see more emotions seen in his features come to light as the book progresses and he opens up a bit.
Anyhoo, this book wasn't perfect. I wish the ending wasn't so rushed. I wish the POV characters got to interact just a wee bit more. I wish the other diplomats got a bit more time to shine besides just having Josette around as almost little more as a plot device. I am still waiting for one of the POV characters to be a woman (oh please, say it will happen some day!). But I certainly liked it enough to give it five stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2012
The second novel by Jaida Jones and Danielle Bennett is one that I wanted to read badly, but It took me quite a long time to do it. The simple reason was that I was afraid that I wouldn't like the four new narrators. Especially Caius Greylace, because all I remembered from „Havemercy“ was that he was the creepy guy with the eye-scream aspect who could torture people with his mind. And then I started reading „Shadow Magic“ and the book had me the very moment that Caius chose that Alcibiades would be his new BFF. Also, I have a thing for little men who are batshit crazy and wear fancy clips in their hair.
I chose to give the book 5 stars because I loved it. It did things to me, I had the stupidest grin on my face while reading. Of course, it has its flaws and it might not appeal everyone but I fell for the words and I fell for the characters; the atmosphere. So, there is not much plot. So, the pacing becomes a bit weird at the end. But sometimes, plot is overrated and the sudden end of the story caused me to yell with disappointment because I wanted more.
I can only recommend this book for those who loved „the Shoebox Project“ and those who like mangas. For obvious reasons; the Ke-Han society is mainly based upon the Japanese with Chinese influences. And well, I don't know about you but crossdressing Bishounen make me happy.
What kept me reading for the most part was the bromance between Caius and Alcibiades. (They reminded me so much of Kurogane and Fai from Tsubasa Reservior Chronicle, so it was impossible for me not to love them. And, to be honest it's impossible for me not to ship them though Caius is fairly asexual and prefers screwing with people's mind. These novels are excellent slash fiction material. XD Which is no surprise, regarding the origins of one of the authors). They are lovely, I think 90 % of my Kindle-Clippings are quotes from them, because they are so different and god, I have no words, just love. I now regard „carnivorous little flower“ as a term of endearment.
I'm so looking forward to the next books. These authors make my day. Also, I can't wait to read more from Rook and Thom, I miss them. Especially Rook.
I chose to give the book 5 stars because I loved it. It did things to me, I had the stupidest grin on my face while reading. Of course, it has its flaws and it might not appeal everyone but I fell for the words and I fell for the characters; the atmosphere. So, there is not much plot. So, the pacing becomes a bit weird at the end. But sometimes, plot is overrated and the sudden end of the story caused me to yell with disappointment because I wanted more.
I can only recommend this book for those who loved „the Shoebox Project“ and those who like mangas. For obvious reasons; the Ke-Han society is mainly based upon the Japanese with Chinese influences. And well, I don't know about you but crossdressing Bishounen make me happy.
What kept me reading for the most part was the bromance between Caius and Alcibiades. (They reminded me so much of Kurogane and Fai from Tsubasa Reservior Chronicle, so it was impossible for me not to love them. And, to be honest it's impossible for me not to ship them though Caius is fairly asexual and prefers screwing with people's mind. These novels are excellent slash fiction material. XD Which is no surprise, regarding the origins of one of the authors). They are lovely, I think 90 % of my Kindle-Clippings are quotes from them, because they are so different and god, I have no words, just love. I now regard „carnivorous little flower“ as a term of endearment.
I'm so looking forward to the next books. These authors make my day. Also, I can't wait to read more from Rook and Thom, I miss them. Especially Rook.
July 23, 2014
If you loved Havemercy, you will love this one as I did both, if you disliked Havemercy for whatever reason I would suggest to try something else since I see no reason this one will change your opinion;
If you are new to the authors, Shadow Magic follows the events in Havemercy but it has completely new characters so it can be read as a standalone.
Some characters from Havemercy have cameos, but here the four narrators, all men as in Havemercy are Alcibiades and Caius diplomats from Volstov (one a gruff officer, one a young spoiled aristocrat, both magicians) with the peace treaty delegation in the capital of Ke-Han and Mamoru and Kouje the younger prince of Ke-Han and his personal retainer respectively
The sexual overtones of Havemercy are muted here and there is a lot of magic but no dragons, while the resemblance with Sarah Monette's work but less dark or explicit is still strong imho
We get to see Ke-Han now and a lot of the events from their perspective, so the bogeymen of Havemercy get their say here and they become human too, while the world building is just exquisite based on an oriental Chinese/Japanese mix.
The same style of Havemercy and the same minor criticism of a rushed ending in which a lot happens fast and at once, but otherwise the novel is a pleasure to read, very entertaining and highly recommended
If you are new to the authors, Shadow Magic follows the events in Havemercy but it has completely new characters so it can be read as a standalone.
Some characters from Havemercy have cameos, but here the four narrators, all men as in Havemercy are Alcibiades and Caius diplomats from Volstov (one a gruff officer, one a young spoiled aristocrat, both magicians) with the peace treaty delegation in the capital of Ke-Han and Mamoru and Kouje the younger prince of Ke-Han and his personal retainer respectively
The sexual overtones of Havemercy are muted here and there is a lot of magic but no dragons, while the resemblance with Sarah Monette's work but less dark or explicit is still strong imho
We get to see Ke-Han now and a lot of the events from their perspective, so the bogeymen of Havemercy get their say here and they become human too, while the world building is just exquisite based on an oriental Chinese/Japanese mix.
The same style of Havemercy and the same minor criticism of a rushed ending in which a lot happens fast and at once, but otherwise the novel is a pleasure to read, very entertaining and highly recommended
February 11, 2016
This book had a solid beginning and pretty satisfactory ending, but the middle drags. It was like the authors had just read a bunch of books on Kabuki theater and wanted to fit as much of it as possible into the book despite Kabuki not really fitting thematically with the rest of the story. The foreshadowing was weak at best; a small yet obvious Chekhov's Gun within the first quarter of the book, then a sudden reveal in the final quarter with nothing really leading up to it in-between. A good portion of the plot is devoted to entertaining vignettes that didn't really add up to much, as though the authors were just filling time until they felt like they could bring in the action-packed ending.
That said, the characters and their relationships were pretty well-written, though Jones and Bennett's first-person, internal-monologue-heavy style can get a bit cumbersome at times. I also couldn't help but feel that the plot did very little in the long run to change or develop the characters; they seemed to arrive at their final destinations mostly unscathed and not having learned much.
Overall, an enjoyable, light read with some funny moments and an energetic climax. It may or may not leave you craving fried dumplings.
That said, the characters and their relationships were pretty well-written, though Jones and Bennett's first-person, internal-monologue-heavy style can get a bit cumbersome at times. I also couldn't help but feel that the plot did very little in the long run to change or develop the characters; they seemed to arrive at their final destinations mostly unscathed and not having learned much.
Overall, an enjoyable, light read with some funny moments and an energetic climax. It may or may not leave you craving fried dumplings.
August 21, 2009
In this standalone sequel to Havemercy, the authors first novel, a party of Volstovs has traveled to their vanquished foes homeland to negotiate a peace treaty. The action is split between four characters -- General Albecides, a swordsman and soldier, Caisus (sp), an effeminiate magician who is into clothes, the theater and bothering Albecides from the Volstov diplomatic party and Moromu, the current Emperor's brother and Kayou (sp) his friend and aide, who have escaped the palace and on the run because the new Emperor wants him dead.
The beginning of this book is very disjointed because none of the characters from Havemercy are prominent in this novel, and it seems to start in mid sentence. A small summary of the action in Havemercy was missed.
This is a fairly talkative novel.
Once you escape the first 150 pages the book starts to make more sense.
However, again the action in the last 75 pages of the novel seems rushed because the authors spent so much time establishing the various personalities of the main characters and secondary characters.
There is a neat ending involving magic that came as a surprise and I generally liked the novel.
The beginning of this book is very disjointed because none of the characters from Havemercy are prominent in this novel, and it seems to start in mid sentence. A small summary of the action in Havemercy was missed.
This is a fairly talkative novel.
Once you escape the first 150 pages the book starts to make more sense.
However, again the action in the last 75 pages of the novel seems rushed because the authors spent so much time establishing the various personalities of the main characters and secondary characters.
There is a neat ending involving magic that came as a surprise and I generally liked the novel.
February 24, 2018
This is a very good book, brilliantly written! I'm impressed that two so young could write a book of this standard when many fantasy writers much older than them can't manage it. Two brilliant authors who I hope keep writing for many years to come.
We follow four characters, the story told from all of their points of view. Mamoru, the Prince, deemed a traitor by his brother, Isuel, the Emperor. He and his servant run away from the Palace and most of their story is about their journey to get away from Isuel. Mamoru, a sweet, kind-hearted man, beloved by his people, and Kouje, his servant, strong and the most loyal a man could be. There story was my favourite, as it showed elements of the story between Hal and Royston from Havemercy. Although Mamoru and Kouje never get together, their relationship is purely one of the strongest friendship and devotion.
The other half of the story is about Alcibiades and Caius, a warrior and a magician. Alcibiades is a stubborn war hardened man, kind, but he hides it well. Caius is very camp, enjoys great clothing and gets excited by the strangest things. Both are excellent characters and I enjoyed reading Alcibiades reactions to what Caius says, does and wears, and Caius' observations about Alcibiades are utterly brilliant.
One thing I prefered about this book to Havemercy was that I liked all 4 of the characters and wanted to read all of their stories, but with Havemercy, I found the stories of Rook and Thom rather boring and not nearly as interesting as Hal and Royston's story. But one thing that was missing from this book was the lack of romance. Normally it spoils a book for me, but after Havemercy and everything that happened between Hal and Royston, I was really hoping for more of that in this book, as Jones and Bennett write romance so well.
So I really recommend this, an excellent book indeed, but I don't think you'd have to have read the first in the series to understand this one. They are set in the world, but with little connections to each other.
We follow four characters, the story told from all of their points of view. Mamoru, the Prince, deemed a traitor by his brother, Isuel, the Emperor. He and his servant run away from the Palace and most of their story is about their journey to get away from Isuel. Mamoru, a sweet, kind-hearted man, beloved by his people, and Kouje, his servant, strong and the most loyal a man could be. There story was my favourite, as it showed elements of the story between Hal and Royston from Havemercy. Although Mamoru and Kouje never get together, their relationship is purely one of the strongest friendship and devotion.
The other half of the story is about Alcibiades and Caius, a warrior and a magician. Alcibiades is a stubborn war hardened man, kind, but he hides it well. Caius is very camp, enjoys great clothing and gets excited by the strangest things. Both are excellent characters and I enjoyed reading Alcibiades reactions to what Caius says, does and wears, and Caius' observations about Alcibiades are utterly brilliant.
One thing I prefered about this book to Havemercy was that I liked all 4 of the characters and wanted to read all of their stories, but with Havemercy, I found the stories of Rook and Thom rather boring and not nearly as interesting as Hal and Royston's story. But one thing that was missing from this book was the lack of romance. Normally it spoils a book for me, but after Havemercy and everything that happened between Hal and Royston, I was really hoping for more of that in this book, as Jones and Bennett write romance so well.
So I really recommend this, an excellent book indeed, but I don't think you'd have to have read the first in the series to understand this one. They are set in the world, but with little connections to each other.
October 25, 2018
I'm kind of in a quandary about this book. On the one hand, it was well-written and enjoyable enough - even if the story was dragged on kind of needlessly and one of the characters, the one I liked the most on first introduction, grated on my nerves before the end of the story.
But…
One of the main characters is casually transphobic, homophobic and sexist. The story itself is very, very low on women, much less important women. Two, maybe three, and that's pushing it, but there are a lot more random men in the world than women. And, okay, this is a story about four men, but, there's not many supporting women. And one of the cultures, the one we spend the most time in? Yeah, it's very heavily Japanese influenced and that…well…There's an imbalance.
The other two subjects…
Well, the transphobia seems to be just from one character, because another main character disguises himself as a woman and…little is made of that. Sure, there was a moment when it seemed a little problematic, but is wasn't made fun of and he didn't really mind.
The homophobia was pretty limited to a single character too, but… Honestly, I don't know how there were enough people to tag this story as LGBT to get it listed as a genre, because there were not even any hints of romance/LGBT+ representation. Unless you consider a guy crossdressing and posing as another man's wife LGBT+ representation, or two guys calling each other 'dear friend' and 'my friend' and 'friend' and touching the other's arm with his hand.
Honestly, it's frustrating. Would that have changed me buying and reading the book? No. Would it have changed my rating? Maybe, because it feels a bit like queerbaiting. Not just the readers tagging it LGBT, but the book itself is rife with moments of 'you're the most important person in the world to me' and then they have to add 'my friend' just so the authors don't imply that there's anything more than friends going on. No homo, after all. And I sincerely hope you guys hate that term as much as I do.
But…
One of the main characters is casually transphobic, homophobic and sexist. The story itself is very, very low on women, much less important women. Two, maybe three, and that's pushing it, but there are a lot more random men in the world than women. And, okay, this is a story about four men, but, there's not many supporting women. And one of the cultures, the one we spend the most time in? Yeah, it's very heavily Japanese influenced and that…well…There's an imbalance.
The other two subjects…
Well, the transphobia seems to be just from one character, because another main character disguises himself as a woman and…little is made of that. Sure, there was a moment when it seemed a little problematic, but is wasn't made fun of and he didn't really mind.
The homophobia was pretty limited to a single character too, but… Honestly, I don't know how there were enough people to tag this story as LGBT to get it listed as a genre, because there were not even any hints of romance/LGBT+ representation. Unless you consider a guy crossdressing and posing as another man's wife LGBT+ representation, or two guys calling each other 'dear friend' and 'my friend' and 'friend' and touching the other's arm with his hand.
Honestly, it's frustrating. Would that have changed me buying and reading the book? No. Would it have changed my rating? Maybe, because it feels a bit like queerbaiting. Not just the readers tagging it LGBT, but the book itself is rife with moments of 'you're the most important person in the world to me' and then they have to add 'my friend' just so the authors don't imply that there's anything more than friends going on. No homo, after all. And I sincerely hope you guys hate that term as much as I do.
April 19, 2023
Is this a good book? Yes. Did the presence of one (1) Caius Greylace make it 100 times better? Also yes. A very, very enthusiastic yes, because I absolutely adore this little maniac, and I'm going to be very disappointed if he doesn't manage to finagle his way into the next book.
Seriously, though, this is a wonderful sequel - it follows two kingdoms attempting to negotiate peace in the aftermath of a war. The main characters are as follows: Caius Greylace, a very chaotic magician who has been described many times as a tiny madman (and, on one occasion, a carnivorous little plant); General Alcibiades, who has no apparent reason for being there and is the owner of a name I cannot pronounce; Prince Mamoru, who is having a bit of a crisis throughout the duration of the book; and Kouje, perhaps the only main character capable of rational thought most of the time.
If you haven't guessed already, this book is a bit of a whirlwind. And I do have to admit to something - I think I would have found it dreadfully boring if it weren't for Caius. And yes, so I absolutely adore him, but seriously, he was kind of the only entertainment factor for the whole book. My five stars are there mostly because I grinned like a maniac every time he was even vaguely mentioned, so if you're not as easily entertained as me, this book may not be for you.
Parts I enjoyed:
- Literally all of chapter five (I adore these idiots)
- Alcibiades' nickname for Caius on page 159 (I refer you, again, to the occasion of the carnivorous little plant)
- "I could have broken him so easily. (351)" I cannot stress enough how much I love this psychological little maniac
- Literally every Caius scene ever (I'm sorry, I'll leave now)
Seriously, though, this is a wonderful sequel - it follows two kingdoms attempting to negotiate peace in the aftermath of a war. The main characters are as follows: Caius Greylace, a very chaotic magician who has been described many times as a tiny madman (and, on one occasion, a carnivorous little plant); General Alcibiades, who has no apparent reason for being there and is the owner of a name I cannot pronounce; Prince Mamoru, who is having a bit of a crisis throughout the duration of the book; and Kouje, perhaps the only main character capable of rational thought most of the time.
If you haven't guessed already, this book is a bit of a whirlwind. And I do have to admit to something - I think I would have found it dreadfully boring if it weren't for Caius. And yes, so I absolutely adore him, but seriously, he was kind of the only entertainment factor for the whole book. My five stars are there mostly because I grinned like a maniac every time he was even vaguely mentioned, so if you're not as easily entertained as me, this book may not be for you.
Parts I enjoyed:
- Literally all of chapter five (I adore these idiots)
- Alcibiades' nickname for Caius on page 159 (I refer you, again, to the occasion of the carnivorous little plant)
- "I could have broken him so easily. (351)" I cannot stress enough how much I love this psychological little maniac
- Literally every Caius scene ever (I'm sorry, I'll leave now)
November 2, 2020
First of all, not an m/m, which is fine except that it is categorized as one - so it sets up a weird type of expectation that is never satisfied. Caius and Alcebeides could have been really good - but they both end up being caricatures of their own archetypes: slinky political animal with amusing lack of morals and the blustering but good-hearted british colonial officer who blunders about among the natives.
As for Ke-Han and its 1D japanese-knock off culture... It is quite odd to read an internal narrative where someone explains their own culture to themselves. There are other ways of revealing meaning, and you can even trust the reader to make leaps of logic on their own. Honour is talked about a lot as a driving force, but not revealed convincingly in behaviour. The authors shy away from some more complex questions that are raised, including the dangerous implications of
All in all I found myself powering through, being bored or disbelieving of the content, to see a romantic conclusion that never materialized. Which is sad, because I really enjoyed Havemercy
As for Ke-Han and its 1D japanese-knock off culture... It is quite odd to read an internal narrative where someone explains their own culture to themselves. There are other ways of revealing meaning, and you can even trust the reader to make leaps of logic on their own. Honour is talked about a lot as a driving force, but not revealed convincingly in behaviour. The authors shy away from some more complex questions that are raised, including the dangerous implications of
All in all I found myself powering through, being bored or disbelieving of the content, to see a romantic conclusion that never materialized. Which is sad, because I really enjoyed Havemercy
May 6, 2025
3.5 stars. No clue why this is tagged "LGBT" and "MM Romance", there is literally nothing queer about this book other than one or two queer-coded characters. But not one single gay thing happens. And that's okay, it's a fun book regardless, but just misleading.
This installment of the series is set in the immediate aftermath of the war, mostly in Ke-Hen, which is a pseudo-Japanese type civilization that we see only from a distance in book 1. We have 2 Volstovic MCs who couldn't be more different from one another - diplomats on a mission to secure a peace treaty in Ke-Han, and 2 Ke-Han MCs - the prince and his loyal retainer. It's a little bit court intrigue, a little bit on-the-run road-trip story. Each character had a distinct voice and was pretty well-fleshed out. Sure, you could read some UST into it, but I suggest you do not, because it will remain unresolved forever. It did drag a bit in some places, and then felt very rushed in the end. But generally a worthy sequel. We'll see where the next book sends us.
This installment of the series is set in the immediate aftermath of the war, mostly in Ke-Hen, which is a pseudo-Japanese type civilization that we see only from a distance in book 1. We have 2 Volstovic MCs who couldn't be more different from one another - diplomats on a mission to secure a peace treaty in Ke-Han, and 2 Ke-Han MCs - the prince and his loyal retainer. It's a little bit court intrigue, a little bit on-the-run road-trip story. Each character had a distinct voice and was pretty well-fleshed out. Sure, you could read some UST into it, but I suggest you do not, because it will remain unresolved forever. It did drag a bit in some places, and then felt very rushed in the end. But generally a worthy sequel. We'll see where the next book sends us.
July 29, 2020
I read the first book of this series years ago, and remembered thinking that it wasn't terrific. I'll need to revisit it, however, because the second book is excellent in its category: entertaining, compelling, character-driven. This episode has its faults, but they're common faults to fantasy writing and may be a feature and not a bug. The uniqueness of the relationships and the deft handling of each character, especially POV characters, made the reading experience delightful. Two main objections: there is some very slight rumination by POV characters about how "quaint," "ridiculous," "illogical" the foreign customs they are learning are which can be read as unaddressed xenophobia, and the character of the antagonist is never fully fleshed out, so much of his threat has to be told rather than shown--lots of "I could see the madness in his eyes" as a replacement for actual madness indicators.
March 23, 2025
The Havemercy series is highly recommended! Shadow Magic is no exception - it is a thoughtful, intelligent, enjoyable adventure with good fantasy worldbuilding (in this case based on an admittedly fairly stereotypical Japanese real world model) - I'd give it about 3.5 overall since I have to leave room for even better worldbuilding. Books 1 and 4 resonated with me most - Havemercy, which sets up the world and characters, and Steelhands, which features Toverre! - and I would have raised Shadow Magic's rating had Toverre graced the pages with his exuberant presence - go on read Steelhands!
Go on, dare you!
Go on, dare you!
April 24, 2025
really drew me in
I enjoyed the first book, but I wasn’t sure if I was going to move onto the following books, but I read the first chapter of this one and was committed from that point forward.
I enjoyed the first book, but I wasn’t sure if I was going to move onto the following books, but I read the first chapter of this one and was committed from that point forward.
July 13, 2023
actually this one rules
October 5, 2024
Enjoyable story that is well written with likeable characters and good world building. The narration is very good as well.
October 14, 2009
I didn't think it was possible, but I love Shadow Magic even more then Havemercy, the debut novel from this young author team. Shadow Magic continues right after Volstov wins the war against Ke-Han, but with an entirely new set of characters. Two of the characters were on the fringes in Havemercy and two are entirely new, but Jones and Bennett prove that their flair with the character-driven novel isn't a fluke: they can create stunningly original people and put them in situations where they develop in such a way that it's impossible not to care about them (even when, like Rook in Havemercy, you'd really rather not).
In Shadow Magic, Volstov sends a delegation to Ke-Han to negotiate the peace treaty, but they arrive early, just after the emperor's ritual suicide. This inauspicious beginning does not help the negotiations, which are understandably fraught with cultural misunderstandings (Volstov's informal, direct manner is quite different from the ritualized formality and politeness of Japanese-inspired Ke-Han) and buried resentment. Included in Volstov's delegation are previously-exiled magician Caius Greylace and war hero General Alcibiades, who are not so busy being at odds with each other that they fail to overlook something very strange going on in the Ke-Han court. Their suspicions only grow when the new emperor declares his innocent younger brother Mamoru a traitor, forcing the boy to flee with his devoted servant Kouje. Suddenly trapped in the palace and unable to get word back to Volstov, Caius and Alcibiades try to uncover the emperor's ultimate plan, but Mamoru is the one who truly uncovers the depth of his brother's betrayal.
Like in Havemercy, the authors take time to develop their characters (all four are first-person narrators) before the action really gets going, but their lives are absorbing enough. Jones and Bennett manage to give each person a distinctive voice that is clearly evident in their speech patterns and just as clearly matching with that person's personality and behavior. Caius is foppish and effeminate, flouncing around in ridiculous outfits and camping it up, but he's also shrewd and terribly creepy in his use of power and his matter-of-fact attitude toward his occasional insanity. Alcibiades is stubborn and taciturn and very physical, and he starts out determined to hate everything about the Ke-Han and about Caius. Caius drives Alcibiades nuts, of course, and enjoys it greatly, while Alcibiades does everything in his power to avoid Caius and ends up saddled with him nonetheless, and liking it at times, too. Watching them grow in each other's esteem is hilarious and sometimes touching. Mamoru and Kouje, a prince and his servant, undergo changes in their relationship that seem subtle but are actually huge, as they finally have the freedom to see each other operate out of the stifling formality of the palace, as equals. Secondary characters are as skillfully developed, too, especially the powerful new emperor, who is not a good man but still a deep one.
The suspense ratchets up in the second half, as Caius and Alcibiades plan for their escape and Mamoru and Kouje discover how far the new emperor's paranoia has taken him . The conclusion happened a little fast for me, just like in Havemercy as well; there's a long build-up, where the characters and politics are drawn in great detail, and some foreshadowing and tension, and then, boom boom boom, everything races to the finish. It's still an awesome finish, however, so I'm not complaining much. I only wish I'd had more resolution between the four characters after the climax, to view them a little longer in the new situations and new relationships they find themselves in. Wishing for more is hardly a negative, however, and so I'm sure that whatever Jones and Bennett decide to do next, I'll be there.
In Shadow Magic, Volstov sends a delegation to Ke-Han to negotiate the peace treaty, but they arrive early, just after the emperor's ritual suicide. This inauspicious beginning does not help the negotiations, which are understandably fraught with cultural misunderstandings (Volstov's informal, direct manner is quite different from the ritualized formality and politeness of Japanese-inspired Ke-Han) and buried resentment. Included in Volstov's delegation are previously-exiled magician Caius Greylace and war hero General Alcibiades, who are not so busy being at odds with each other that they fail to overlook something very strange going on in the Ke-Han court. Their suspicions only grow when the new emperor declares his innocent younger brother Mamoru a traitor, forcing the boy to flee with his devoted servant Kouje. Suddenly trapped in the palace and unable to get word back to Volstov, Caius and Alcibiades try to uncover the emperor's ultimate plan, but Mamoru is the one who truly uncovers the depth of his brother's betrayal.
Like in Havemercy, the authors take time to develop their characters (all four are first-person narrators) before the action really gets going, but their lives are absorbing enough. Jones and Bennett manage to give each person a distinctive voice that is clearly evident in their speech patterns and just as clearly matching with that person's personality and behavior. Caius is foppish and effeminate, flouncing around in ridiculous outfits and camping it up, but he's also shrewd and terribly creepy in his use of power and his matter-of-fact attitude toward his occasional insanity. Alcibiades is stubborn and taciturn and very physical, and he starts out determined to hate everything about the Ke-Han and about Caius. Caius drives Alcibiades nuts, of course, and enjoys it greatly, while Alcibiades does everything in his power to avoid Caius and ends up saddled with him nonetheless, and liking it at times, too. Watching them grow in each other's esteem is hilarious and sometimes touching. Mamoru and Kouje, a prince and his servant, undergo changes in their relationship that seem subtle but are actually huge, as they finally have the freedom to see each other operate out of the stifling formality of the palace, as equals. Secondary characters are as skillfully developed, too, especially the powerful new emperor, who is not a good man but still a deep one.
The suspense ratchets up in the second half, as Caius and Alcibiades plan for their escape and Mamoru and Kouje discover how far the new emperor's paranoia has taken him . The conclusion happened a little fast for me, just like in Havemercy as well; there's a long build-up, where the characters and politics are drawn in great detail, and some foreshadowing and tension, and then, boom boom boom, everything races to the finish. It's still an awesome finish, however, so I'm not complaining much. I only wish I'd had more resolution between the four characters after the climax, to view them a little longer in the new situations and new relationships they find themselves in. Wishing for more is hardly a negative, however, and so I'm sure that whatever Jones and Bennett decide to do next, I'll be there.
May 10, 2010
As soon as I finish this one, I’ll be working on reading Beautiful Creatures. Why oh why does Beryl always have to dare me to read gigantic bricks that look like lame attempts at Twilight?
Shadow Magic starts exactly where Havemercy ended: the century-long war between the Volstov and Ke-Han Empires is finally over, and Volstovic diplomats are negotiating (what they are negotiating is beyond my knowledge, maybe the terms of surrender or something).
I had first started to read Havemercy, the first tome of this series, because of the awesomely cute gay couple, Royston and Hal. I picked this book up because I had like the plot, but especially because I thought there would be more Royston and Hal cuteness. When I noticed there wasn’t anything of the sort in Shadow Magic, I was slightly disappointed, but continued reading nevertheless.
After that, I was even more disappointed when I noticed the whole fantasy part present Havemercy disappeared in Shadow Magic. Granted, Havemercy already didn’t have very much, but the little it had was awesome. At least, there were dragons, magic, and magic dragons. But in Shadow Magic (Another ill-fitted book title!), nothing. Well, nothing in the first 300 pages of the book. This disappointed me even further, but I kept reading anyways.
Then, I realized that the Ke-Han Empire was really just Japan with another name. When reading about fantasy worlds, I like original people, strange new ways and special attributes. But the Ke-Han wore attire that looked an awful lot like kimonos, had customs much like those of feudal, imperial Japan, and even their names were Japanese-sounding! Mamoru, Aiko and Kouje were three noticeable ones (though I do admit Iseul doesn’t sound at all Japanese).
Next, there are still four protagonists, and two hardly related storylines: that of Mamoru and Kouje running away from the Emperor, and that of the Volstovic diplomats negociating the terms of surrender with the Ke-Han Emperor, Iseul. This second aspect is told by Caius Greylace (by far my favourite, though very cliché in his gayness and love for clothes) and General Alcibiades.
All four main characters are despairingly common, and I’m not even talking about the other ones. Mamoru, the fragile little prince. Kouje, Mamoru’s trusty bodyguard and friend. Caius Greylace, the happy little 17-year-old diplomat with an incredible taste for clothes and gossip. And finally, Alcibiades, the gruff general who did the war and is definitely not talented diplomatically.
I’d feel like I was failing this blog and myself if I couldn’t find anything positive to say about this novel, but this one is hard. I do admit the writing was beautiful and flowery, though I wish there were a little more physical descriptions of places and people. Once more, the authors managed to give distinctively different voices to their four characters, and I have to praise them for this. But, as I said earlier, story wise, this book is rather bland.
The first 300 pages were pretty boring, to be frank. But the ending actually quite made up for it action wise, even if it did feel rushed. I would’ve loved another hundred pages like the last 80! But instead, the rest of the book was just a big mob of diplomacy.
Honestly, though this book probably isn’t the worst one out there, it is a horrible disappointment. Though there is a third book in this series, I do not know whether or not I will read it, because it is about the two characters I loathed in Havemercy (the ones that were brothers, but didn’t know because they thought the other one was dead – woops, I just said a punch line from book 1).
I tried hard to like this book, I really did. But I most certainly didn’t. If you like diplomacy in fantasy worlds that look like feudal Japan, then you may appreciate this more than I did, though.
Shadow Magic starts exactly where Havemercy ended: the century-long war between the Volstov and Ke-Han Empires is finally over, and Volstovic diplomats are negotiating (what they are negotiating is beyond my knowledge, maybe the terms of surrender or something).
I had first started to read Havemercy, the first tome of this series, because of the awesomely cute gay couple, Royston and Hal. I picked this book up because I had like the plot, but especially because I thought there would be more Royston and Hal cuteness. When I noticed there wasn’t anything of the sort in Shadow Magic, I was slightly disappointed, but continued reading nevertheless.
After that, I was even more disappointed when I noticed the whole fantasy part present Havemercy disappeared in Shadow Magic. Granted, Havemercy already didn’t have very much, but the little it had was awesome. At least, there were dragons, magic, and magic dragons. But in Shadow Magic (Another ill-fitted book title!), nothing. Well, nothing in the first 300 pages of the book. This disappointed me even further, but I kept reading anyways.
Then, I realized that the Ke-Han Empire was really just Japan with another name. When reading about fantasy worlds, I like original people, strange new ways and special attributes. But the Ke-Han wore attire that looked an awful lot like kimonos, had customs much like those of feudal, imperial Japan, and even their names were Japanese-sounding! Mamoru, Aiko and Kouje were three noticeable ones (though I do admit Iseul doesn’t sound at all Japanese).
Next, there are still four protagonists, and two hardly related storylines: that of Mamoru and Kouje running away from the Emperor, and that of the Volstovic diplomats negociating the terms of surrender with the Ke-Han Emperor, Iseul. This second aspect is told by Caius Greylace (by far my favourite, though very cliché in his gayness and love for clothes) and General Alcibiades.
All four main characters are despairingly common, and I’m not even talking about the other ones. Mamoru, the fragile little prince. Kouje, Mamoru’s trusty bodyguard and friend. Caius Greylace, the happy little 17-year-old diplomat with an incredible taste for clothes and gossip. And finally, Alcibiades, the gruff general who did the war and is definitely not talented diplomatically.
I’d feel like I was failing this blog and myself if I couldn’t find anything positive to say about this novel, but this one is hard. I do admit the writing was beautiful and flowery, though I wish there were a little more physical descriptions of places and people. Once more, the authors managed to give distinctively different voices to their four characters, and I have to praise them for this. But, as I said earlier, story wise, this book is rather bland.
The first 300 pages were pretty boring, to be frank. But the ending actually quite made up for it action wise, even if it did feel rushed. I would’ve loved another hundred pages like the last 80! But instead, the rest of the book was just a big mob of diplomacy.
Honestly, though this book probably isn’t the worst one out there, it is a horrible disappointment. Though there is a third book in this series, I do not know whether or not I will read it, because it is about the two characters I loathed in Havemercy (the ones that were brothers, but didn’t know because they thought the other one was dead – woops, I just said a punch line from book 1).
I tried hard to like this book, I really did. But I most certainly didn’t. If you like diplomacy in fantasy worlds that look like feudal Japan, then you may appreciate this more than I did, though.
February 27, 2017
This is probably my favorite book in this series??? Mostly because the setting Asian!! And I didn't hate any of the characters in this one, in the other three there was always one narrator that I wish I could have skipped.
October 24, 2010
I've spent the last two days completely immersed in this novel and the world within. From Havemercy, I honestly thought Ke-Han was based on the Chinese culture but with the abundance of Japanese names everywhere, I guess I was wrong. No matter.
The best thing about this novel are the characters. They all have very definitive and interesting personalities, even the minor characters shine through. I especially adored the relationship between Kouje and Mamoru, the loyalty, the absolute trust was amazing. The fact that the Ke-Han playwrights are spinning tales about their adventure was cute as well. Alcibiades and Caius's dynamic was hilarious, the way the two make such assumptions with each other and get along nearly like an old married couple in some sitcom kept me wanting more.
What I find rather disappointing about Shadow Magic was the distinct lack of.. clarity and explanations.
There's no real description of the characters, aside from Caius's metro chic and weird eyes or the fact that Mamoru must have been amazingly androgynous to pass as a beautiful female without any aid beyond a change of clothes. I would have liked to know a bit more of how Alcibiades looked since he sounded like quite a character and more about Kouje as well, besides being tall. We learn more about how they hold themselves and how they speak than anything.
Also what I found rather annoying was the lack of explanation of their "Talents" and titles. They were mentioned and hinted at more than at the beginning and then later throughout the novel but it isn't until we reach the very end that we learn exactly what everyone's talents are, in a simple and short paragraph. For something that obviously plays a great role in half the cast's lives, it would have been nice to learn a bit more about it. Their Talents and the difference between Ke-Han and Volstov magics are still unsatisfactorily unexplained. It still feels like I'm missing details to a puzzle that I only have a very foggy idea of what picture it's supposed to make.
The ending was very rushed as well, as if the authors realized they spent too long on the novel and needed to wrap it up asap.
The best thing about this novel are the characters. They all have very definitive and interesting personalities, even the minor characters shine through. I especially adored the relationship between Kouje and Mamoru, the loyalty, the absolute trust was amazing. The fact that the Ke-Han playwrights are spinning tales about their adventure was cute as well. Alcibiades and Caius's dynamic was hilarious, the way the two make such assumptions with each other and get along nearly like an old married couple in some sitcom kept me wanting more.
What I find rather disappointing about Shadow Magic was the distinct lack of.. clarity and explanations.
There's no real description of the characters, aside from Caius's metro chic and weird eyes or the fact that Mamoru must have been amazingly androgynous to pass as a beautiful female without any aid beyond a change of clothes. I would have liked to know a bit more of how Alcibiades looked since he sounded like quite a character and more about Kouje as well, besides being tall. We learn more about how they hold themselves and how they speak than anything.
Also what I found rather annoying was the lack of explanation of their "Talents" and titles. They were mentioned and hinted at more than at the beginning and then later throughout the novel but it isn't until we reach the very end that we learn exactly what everyone's talents are, in a simple and short paragraph. For something that obviously plays a great role in half the cast's lives, it would have been nice to learn a bit more about it. Their Talents and the difference between Ke-Han and Volstov magics are still unsatisfactorily unexplained. It still feels like I'm missing details to a puzzle that I only have a very foggy idea of what picture it's supposed to make.
The ending was very rushed as well, as if the authors realized they spent too long on the novel and needed to wrap it up asap.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2010
Like Havemercy, Shadow Magic captured my attention from the very first page and held it throughout with its character narratives. In this novel, there are two narrators from Xi'an, the prince Mamoru and his servant Kouje, and two from Volstov, the delegates Caius and Alcibiades. After only seeing characters from Volstov in Havemercy, the inclusion of two of the Ke-Han with a broader, more sympathetic look at their culture and how they were affected by the war was very welcome. Mamoru and Kouje were perhaps the more easily likable of the four main protagonists with their good intentions and their story's focus on loyalty and a long-standing friendship.
However, Caius and Alicibiades were the more intriguing with their more humorous voices and propensity to get into trouble. Caius is a magician previously exiled for using his talent to wreak revenge. Alcibiades is a soldier who also has a talent but hates the fact that he has magical ability and does whatever he can to avoid using it. Their observations about each other were quite entertaining - Caius decided that he simply must be friends with Alcibiades, who thought Caius was a pest, and a crazy one at that.
Caius was easily my favorite to read about - he appeared so carefree and easygoing most of the time with his main concerns focusing on fashion, gossip and breaking down the barriers Alcibiades built outside the door between their rooms. Yet he also had this love of danger coupled with the ruthless streak that lead to his infamous exile from Volstov that almost made him eerie.
Full Review
However, Caius and Alicibiades were the more intriguing with their more humorous voices and propensity to get into trouble. Caius is a magician previously exiled for using his talent to wreak revenge. Alcibiades is a soldier who also has a talent but hates the fact that he has magical ability and does whatever he can to avoid using it. Their observations about each other were quite entertaining - Caius decided that he simply must be friends with Alcibiades, who thought Caius was a pest, and a crazy one at that.
Caius was easily my favorite to read about - he appeared so carefree and easygoing most of the time with his main concerns focusing on fashion, gossip and breaking down the barriers Alcibiades built outside the door between their rooms. Yet he also had this love of danger coupled with the ruthless streak that lead to his infamous exile from Volstov that almost made him eerie.
Full Review
October 17, 2014
First and foremost, I found all the characters quite lovable. The four main were enjoyable and completely different and none of them were that infuriating save for Kouje. We deal with the Ke-Han culture and, probably because I'm not at all inclined towards their traditions, have to deal with their troubles.
I didn't get as much as a sense of adventure from this books as the first, and I didn't get that much of a sense in the first! So that was unfortunate.
This was mainly a character driven story with a mystery and tense escape to flavor it. Unfortunately, the escape made by two of the characters was overshadowed by their traditions. You see, Kouje has an intense loyalty for Prince Mamoru, which is understandable, but the constant tension that he feels between trying to be a loyal retainer and a covert escapee was the driving factor in their sections. I didn't feel the tension, willing the character to suck it up and quickly became bored of his dilemma.
If it wasn't for the whole mystery with how the diplomatic talks were going to end (because you find out relatively soon that everything wasn't going to end with peaches and cream), I might have not been able to finish this book.
Again, the characters were nice, although, even though I should have learned from the first book Havemercy, I would have liked to go further with their relationships. I could hardly describe either of the two 'couples' friends. But I know I should.
I still look forward to the next book, because I do enjoy their writing style and the way they write such delightful people.
SPOILER: For a book called Shadow Magic, don't hold your breath for it.
I didn't get as much as a sense of adventure from this books as the first, and I didn't get that much of a sense in the first! So that was unfortunate.
This was mainly a character driven story with a mystery and tense escape to flavor it. Unfortunately, the escape made by two of the characters was overshadowed by their traditions. You see, Kouje has an intense loyalty for Prince Mamoru, which is understandable, but the constant tension that he feels between trying to be a loyal retainer and a covert escapee was the driving factor in their sections. I didn't feel the tension, willing the character to suck it up and quickly became bored of his dilemma.
If it wasn't for the whole mystery with how the diplomatic talks were going to end (because you find out relatively soon that everything wasn't going to end with peaches and cream), I might have not been able to finish this book.
Again, the characters were nice, although, even though I should have learned from the first book Havemercy, I would have liked to go further with their relationships. I could hardly describe either of the two 'couples' friends. But I know I should.
I still look forward to the next book, because I do enjoy their writing style and the way they write such delightful people.
SPOILER: For a book called Shadow Magic, don't hold your breath for it.
June 20, 2010
I have mixed feelings about this book. I loved the setting and the description of Ke-Han culture, and the culture-shock humor was reliably funny. I may even go as far as to say I liked the characters as much as or more than the characters of Havemercy. However, when the book ended, I felt dissatisfied. Perhaps it's the goober in me that wanted romantic resolution, but it is also likely the part of me that felt that while there was a climax, it was not very climactic. As far as the dramatic action level of the plot goes, I felt like there was a steady amount, little rising action, a short spike in action, and then it was over. I almost hate to criticize this novel because I did enjoy it immensely, but I wanted more resolution.
But please let me repeat that I love the characters, not only for their humor but for their souls. Being in Caius Greylace's head is one of the most scarily enjoyable literary experiences I've ever had. The description of Ke-Han is intricate and beautiful. The scenery, culture, and history are interwoven delicately to provide a backdrop which the book's cover does not do justice.
I am now in anticipation of the third book, Dragon Soul, which I just pre-ordered. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed Havemercy and will be rereading it many times in the future.
But please let me repeat that I love the characters, not only for their humor but for their souls. Being in Caius Greylace's head is one of the most scarily enjoyable literary experiences I've ever had. The description of Ke-Han is intricate and beautiful. The scenery, culture, and history are interwoven delicately to provide a backdrop which the book's cover does not do justice.
I am now in anticipation of the third book, Dragon Soul, which I just pre-ordered. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed Havemercy and will be rereading it many times in the future.
June 4, 2011
Really bland book. Feels like not much truly happened despite all the fancy prose. And as in Havemercy, the real plot doesn't kick in until maybe the last 80 pages or so. And it's still bland and boring.
It's also quite obvious that both authors are huge fans of Japanese culture-- Ke-han is basically feudal Japan, though oddly enough, their naming scheme also uses names from other East Asian cultures (a few characters had Chinese- and Korean-sounding names while others had Japanese ones). All four main characters resemble anime cliches: Mamoru and Kouje are like a typical master-servant couple found in a lot of yaoi manga (except without the romantic relationship), and Caius and Alcibiades bicker like an old married couple. Unfortunately, this means that the characters are very two-dimensional. Their interactions were predictable and not at all interesting.
I also get the sense that the authors really love their characters, which explains why so much of the book is spent on detailing their every thought and action in all sorts of unnecessary, filler-like scenes. It was like the authors thought it'd be funny to see this character in this or that situation, regardless of its relevance to the plot.
It's also quite obvious that both authors are huge fans of Japanese culture-- Ke-han is basically feudal Japan, though oddly enough, their naming scheme also uses names from other East Asian cultures (a few characters had Chinese- and Korean-sounding names while others had Japanese ones). All four main characters resemble anime cliches: Mamoru and Kouje are like a typical master-servant couple found in a lot of yaoi manga (except without the romantic relationship), and Caius and Alcibiades bicker like an old married couple. Unfortunately, this means that the characters are very two-dimensional. Their interactions were predictable and not at all interesting.
I also get the sense that the authors really love their characters, which explains why so much of the book is spent on detailing their every thought and action in all sorts of unnecessary, filler-like scenes. It was like the authors thought it'd be funny to see this character in this or that situation, regardless of its relevance to the plot.
July 27, 2014
After reading Havemercy I thought I knew what to expect of the authors: a fairly interesting story and a romantic couple I can root for.
I liked the story of the book and I was absolutely taken by Caius. He was absolutely hilarious! I loved the Mamoru/Kouje storyline up to the point where it led to nothing. Why build up romantic tension, even have Kouje and a crossdressing Mamoru pretending to be a couple if you are not going to resolve the tension? I was gravely disappointed by how things ended for them.
Were the authors afraid of just copying Havemercy and thus didn't include another m/m couple or did people critizise them too much for the romantic storyline of Havemercy? I don't know. I just feel like this ending robbed me of a great romantic pairing.
I initially gave the book 4 stars because I liked it very much but then I remembered how angry and upset I was at the end and I felt the need to reduce my rating to better reflect my feelings on that book.
As others have pointed out, this book once again fails to include notable female protagonists which I find even more sad because the writers are actually female.
I liked the story of the book and I was absolutely taken by Caius. He was absolutely hilarious! I loved the Mamoru/Kouje storyline up to the point where it led to nothing. Why build up romantic tension, even have Kouje and a crossdressing Mamoru pretending to be a couple if you are not going to resolve the tension? I was gravely disappointed by how things ended for them.
Were the authors afraid of just copying Havemercy and thus didn't include another m/m couple or did people critizise them too much for the romantic storyline of Havemercy? I don't know. I just feel like this ending robbed me of a great romantic pairing.
I initially gave the book 4 stars because I liked it very much but then I remembered how angry and upset I was at the end and I felt the need to reduce my rating to better reflect my feelings on that book.
As others have pointed out, this book once again fails to include notable female protagonists which I find even more sad because the writers are actually female.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2013
It's official: I prefer wartime books to let's-try-to-make-a-treaty-time books.
I didn't find myself quite as invested in this book as I was in its predecessor, and I believe the rather slow-moving plot is partially to blame. I'll admit, Mamoru and Kouje had an interesting storyline pretty much from the start, but the diplomats' story didn't really get going until about 80 pages from the end.
Also, I tend to have a problem with getting attached to characters in a series, and I get grumpy when my favorites don't come back. I was prepared for that in this book, but even so, I thought I'd at least enjoy these new characters as much as I enjoyed the four main protagonists in Havemercy. And they were... fine. But I still became unreasonably excited when , and I can't wait to get back to Rook and Thom in the next book, so... Make of that what you will.
This is still not by any means a bad book. I enjoyed it, I really did! I just didn't enjoy it as much as the first.
I didn't find myself quite as invested in this book as I was in its predecessor, and I believe the rather slow-moving plot is partially to blame. I'll admit, Mamoru and Kouje had an interesting storyline pretty much from the start, but the diplomats' story didn't really get going until about 80 pages from the end.
Also, I tend to have a problem with getting attached to characters in a series, and I get grumpy when my favorites don't come back. I was prepared for that in this book, but even so, I thought I'd at least enjoy these new characters as much as I enjoyed the four main protagonists in Havemercy. And they were... fine. But I still became unreasonably excited when , and I can't wait to get back to Rook and Thom in the next book, so... Make of that what you will.
This is still not by any means a bad book. I enjoyed it, I really did! I just didn't enjoy it as much as the first.
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